Get Baking! Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread with Almonds

By
Amy Chaplin

Zucchini are available year-round, but the summer growing season brings an abundance of all shapes and sizes of summer squash, from crookneck to pattypan to eight-ball. If you have a garden, you will be inundated with the green and golden vegetables right through October. This flavorful bread offers a great way to bring any type of zucchini or summer squash into your breakfast routine.

Thanks to a combination of extra virgin olive oil, plenty of grated zucchini and almond meal, the loaf is delightfully moist and cakey. Although it’s gluten- and dairy-free — and packed with whole-grain goodness from oat and millet flours — no one would ever know. Coconut flour and maple syrup give the breakfast treat (which can easily double as a mid-morning of afternoon snack) the perfect amount of sweetness.

Use any color or variety of zucchini or summer squash here. Choose small, firm zucchini for best flavor and texture. Since some zucchini are more watery than others, it’s a good idea to lay the the grated zucchini on paper towels and press out any excess moisture.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling the pan

1 1/2 cup grated zucchini

1/2 cup almond milk

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

3 tablespoons chia seeds

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup millet flour

1/4 cup gluten-free oat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups almond meal

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, and lightly oil the exposed ends of the pan. Spread the zucchini over a few layers of paper towels, cover with a few more layers, and use your palms to press out excess moisture. Set aside while you prepare the batter.

Whisk the almond milk, maple syrup and chia seeds in a medium bowl to combine; set aside for 10 minutes or until liquid has thickened.

Add the eggs, oil, vanilla, vinegar and salt to the chia mixture, and whisk until evenly combined. Set aside about 1/4 cup of the zucchini, and stir the remainder into the chia mixture. Add the flour mixture, and stir with a spatula until evenly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spread the remaining zucchini over the top, and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 1 hour. Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan before turning out.